How many people can say they work at the place that saved their life?
Haven for Hope, San Antonio’s largest homeless shelter and resource hub, saved my life almost 14 years ago. Now I work with people who are going through the same struggles I once went through as a mental health peer supervisor.
When I was battling addiction, I moved to Texas from Savannah, Georgia, thinking the move would help. And I did well for a while. But after a job loss, the loss of my apartment and a broken relationship, I found myself back in my addiction. Things spiraled, and I was couch surfing and working at temporary service jobs feeling hopeless.
One day, I told myself life has got to get better than this. I started searching for a shelter so I could work on staying clean and getting back on my feet. I ended up at a church and was getting something to eat and a shower when I heard about Haven for Hope.
I got directions and headed straight there. Of course, I was scared but I knew it had to be better than the streets. I was a client of the low-barrier shelter known as the Courtyard for a few months before moving to the transformational side of the shelter.
It felt like being on a college campus. I got connected to services at Haven that helped with my addiction and my mental health, and I didn’t have to pay for any of those services. Once I got a steady job and was able to move out into my own place, I told myself one day I was going to work at Haven.
I started working the residential night shift and then moved to first shift when a manager told me about becoming a peer support staff member. They said they thought I would be good at it, so I took the peer support training and am now a mental health peer supervisor.
With nine peer support-related certifications, I’m able to share my story and tell the people we serve what worked for me. It also helps build relationships and get them connected to other services here at Haven. This work has given me a different lens to look through which not only helps with the people I serve but also in my personal life.
I am happiest when I am working because I connect with others who have had similar experiences. I am able to sit across from a client and tell them, “I was just like you. Look at me now.”
Having been through — and having climbed out of — similar situations helps me understand what clients need. That’s why I started a group at Haven called AIM, which stands for Active in My Recovery. We have weekly classes and a drop-in room for clients to come and learn coping skills and creative expression and to work on their self-esteem and relationships.
On a typical day, I work with the AIM recovery group in the morning, then update my case notes and work on outreach to clients wanting clinical services before heading to the AIM drop-in center in the afternoon.
While it’s difficult when clients leave without getting the help they need, when you’re able to see clients progress and eventually graduate from Haven, it’s incredibly rewarding. Some even come back later to thank us for providing the support they needed.
I’m celebrating 12 years of recovery and am grateful to work for an organization that helps thousands of clients each year. The work we do at Haven is hard, but I am just one example of how someone can make a change in their life and find happiness again.
